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Beowulf Masculinity Analysis

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Beowulf The Man Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon epic poem, has many male characters that represent their tribes with many masculine qualities. Beowulf is from Geatland and fights for his father, for pride, and for the protection and well-being of his people. Throughout Beowulf, many masculine qualities are displayed in many different aspects, such as fighting enormous monsters, having superhuman strength, and telling boastful stories. Throughout the poem, Beowulf fights numerous monsters that have devastated many prestigious warriors that have come before him. One of the most significant battles that he is involved in is fighting Grendel in Hrothgar’s meadhall. Beowulf travels to Heorot to fight Grendel to settle a debt that his father owed Hrothgar. Beowulf is the only man strong enough and courageous enough to fight Grendel because of his superhuman strength. We read an encounter of this fight when Heaney translates, “Venturing closer, / his talon was raised to attack Beowulf / where he lay on the bed; he was bearing in / with open claw” (744-747). The fight between Grendel and Beowulf is hard fought by both …show more content…

Beowulf does not depend on using weapons because he believes that it is not fair if his opponent does not use weapons. In addition to that idea, he does not use them because he is too strong to use any normal sword or weapon. The sword forged by the giants is the only sword that Beowulf uses successfully against one of his opponents. Beowulf’s strength is displayed in his battle against Grendel when he defeats Grendel with Beowulf’s hand grip. Heaney translates, “Fingers were bursting, / the monster back-tracking, the man overpowering,” to show Beowulf’s superior strength over his enormous foe (759-760). Beowulf has many boastful tales to tell because of his strength aiding him in all of his

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He had defeated the monstrous Grendel which would typically be not so easy to do, but it was for him. Grendel was out to destroy the Danes. Beowulf had put together a well thought-out plan and waited for him to step into Heorot before he attacked him. He was also going in without any weapons in order to make the fight fair since Grendel would not have any. As Grendel first stepped into the Heorot he had tore a man to shreds.

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Throughout the poem, Beowulf fights three different monsters and in each of these situations he chooses to begin the fight without their help. He enters into combat with his men by his side, but when the actual fighting begins he defeats the monsters with very little help from them. Beowulf’s strength and physical prowess was unlike any other man in comparison to his height and incredible grip. Furthermore, Beowulf can be categorized as an outcast based on his personality traits. The main character is set apart from the other warriors because of his courage and humility.

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Beowulf actions, and mindset shows that he is an epic hero. (11.749-756), this quote shows his supernatural strength and bravery. “When the going was heavy in the high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of them all.” This quote shows that swimming for hours isn’t something just any male or female could do, it takes a lot of body strength and fatigue. (11.529-534), in these lines, “ I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore..

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Beowulf went through so much to prove he was worthy enough to protect their kingdom and defeat Grendel. The story Beowulf was a great story to read and a great movie to watch; however, the battles were very eye catching and had a lot of extravagant and heroic doings of Beowulf. The first scenario that I’m going to discuss in the movie and story of Beowulf is The Battle with Grendel. In the movie Grendel attacked Beowulf in the Heriot while everyone was dancing and singing.

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Beowulf is an epic hero because of his strength. His strength isn’t the same as an ordinary man, “He twisted in pain and the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder snapped muscle and on split and broke” (lines 337-340). No ordinary man would be

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Masculine Ideals in Anglo-Saxon Society The concept of a hero is prevalent through all generations because it presents a template for ethics and behavior. Beowulf is a pivotal epic told by poets throughout early european society and mirrors the manly nature of their ideal hero. The patriarchal values of the Anglo-Saxons are displayed through the epic Beowulf. The characters’ loyalty to their leaders as well as their conventional sense of masculinity indicate that the values of a society determine the values of an individual.

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Beowulf, on the other hand, tore off Grendel’s arm with his bare hands. Without struggling much and within moments Beowulf had overpowered Grendel sent him crying in pain. Beowulf portrays his strength through his fight with Grendel’s mother. Beowulf sees a sword hanging that was exceedingly heavy which giants hammered on the wall. It was “so massive that no

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Near the end of his life as a king, Beowulf found that his citizens were being terrorized by a dragon. Although he was old and grizzled, the king took it on in battle. He showed tremendous courage even when knowing the odds were not in his favor. Previously, during his time in Denmark, Beowulf killed Grendel’s mother with the sword made for a giant. This showed his superhuman strength because as an ordinary human being Beowulf was able to handle and control the giant’s sword.

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Beowulf says “The noblest and wisest counselors of my people advised me to come to you, lord Hrothgar because they knew of my great strength. ”(page 13, paragraph 4) Beowulf says he destroyed the race of giants, killed sea monsters and he endured hardships to avenge

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By being absurdly certain in his own abilities, Beowulf was cherished by those he

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How does Beowulf’s faith and confidence change as these battles unfold and what might these changes signify? In each battle with Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon, Beowulf had shown different strength, motivation and goals. Beowulf’s faith and confidence changes when he fights these three characters and these signify changes means Beowulf is getting old which means he didn’t have the same strength as he had during the fight with Grendel. In the battle with Grendel, Beowulf’s strength is so strong that Grendel has a hard time fighting him.

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The continued honor shown in Beowulf’s character shines through when Beowulf never mentions that Unferth’s trusted sword was no match for Grendel’s mother. Beowulf could have simply boasted how the sword was useless and ineffective against the female beast, yet he was silent out of respect for Unferth. Finally, during Beowulf’s time as ruler (fifty winters), another beast arrives: a dragon. This time, Beowulf is much older and is in a much weaker state than when he first defeated Grendel and his mother. However, that does not deter Beowulf from going out and defending his kingdom.

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Heroes need weapons to defeat their enemies, and it is no different for the hero Beowulf in the epic poem Beowulf. Beowulf uses all sorts of weapons throughout his many battles with monsters. Each weapon that he uses there is attached a cultural significance. There is a cultural significance attached to each weapon that he uses, ultimately aiding him in his survival and his killing of the beats. As he grows older, he needs to wear more armor and fight with stronger weapons to be able to kill his enemies.

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Very little is known about the epic poem Beowulf besides that the story was told during the Anglo-Saxon period, specifically between the years 500-1100. The author is unknown, due to the fact that the story was originally told verbally and not documented until much later. Like many stories told throughout the ages, Beowulf consists of many archetypes. An archetype is a recurring symbol found in literature, such as the Hero archetype. In this epic poem, the hero, Beowulf, travels from his homeland to Denmark to save a kingdom from an awful beast that has been attacking men late at night for over twelve years.

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Beowulf cares greatly for his honor. When he is fighting Grendel, he decides to not use a weapon since Grendel has none. He doesn’t want anyone saying he won unfairly. When being spoken about his fighting it is said, “He, swiftly banished to mingle with monsters at mercy of foes…” (Part 2)

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